PUTNAM COUNTY, N.Y. -- The first known reports of epilepsy, which is characterized by seizures due to intense electrical activity in the brain, appeared in Assyrian writings around 2000 B.C. Ancient Greek medical texts reference the first neurosurgical procedure as being performed to quiet brain seizures. Mythological tales of demonic possession and lycanthropy – people convulsing ...

PUTNAM COUNTY, N.Y. -- Spring, with its showy display of flowering buds and blooming trees, is the favorite season for many people, unless you are among the 58 million Americans who suffer from seasonal allergies. Most seasonal allergies begin in the spring, when tree and grass pollens circulate in the air until late June. Mold, another allergy offender, begins in February and can last ...

As a teenager enters the exam room for their yearly checkup at their doctor’s office, chances are his or her physician will ask if they are familiar with the sexually transmitted disease human papillomavirus, most commonly known as HPV. Over the years, there has been a rise in the discussion of HPV amongst families, adolescents and physicians. And why wouldn’t there be? According to the ...

I am so thankful for the summer weather and excited for all the cookouts that come with it! As many of us enjoy the barbecues and picnics, it is important to pay attention to food safety. Food poisoning comes from consuming contaminated food. Food can be contaminated by germs including bacteria, viruses, parasites or natural toxins found in some mold or mushrooms. Symptoms of food ...

Osteoarthritis is a chronic degenerative joint disease that affects millions of people worldwide. It is a slow progressive destruction of cartilage and bone that can cause significant pain, stiffness and decreased function. It generally occurs in people over 50 years old and the risk increases with age. The knee, a weight-bearing joint, is the most commonly affected joint due to the ...

Pelvic floor disorders are common problems facing women, and many do not seek medical help. These disorders can result from a variety of medical conditions as well as normal changes associated with childbirth and aging.Pelvic floor disorders may cause sexual dysfunction, vaginal pain or discomfort, fecal/urinary incontinence and abdominal discomfort. Many women experience significant ...

Pain management is designed to treat chronic pain and allows a person to live a full, enjoyable life. Chronic pain is pain that lasts more than three to six months or pain beyond the point of tissue healing. Some forms of chronic pain can be linked to an identifiable cause, such as degenerative disc disease, spinal stenosis or spondylolisthesis. Other forms have no clear cause, such as ...

With the start of the new school year just around the corner, now is a great time to start preparing your family to make the transition back to school smooth and easy.Here are some helpful tips to get the whole family organized ahead of the back-to-school rush:1. Sleep schedule: Kids tend to sleep in and stay up later during the summer. Getting them back on a regular sleep schedule now ...

PUTNAM COUNTY, N.Y. -- “Don’t go ‘nuclear’” might be a warning to someone who is highly stressed and overreacting to a situation, but when it comes to testing the impact of stress activity on the heart, “nuclear” may be just what the doctor ordered.That’s because use of nuclear material, radioactive isotopes that act as a “dye,” can give physicians more accurate information about the ...

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), an estimated six to 12 million lice infestations occur each year in the U.S. among children three to 11 years of age. Head lice, or Pediculus humanus capitis, is a parasitic insect that is spread by close person-to-person contact.Head lice are transmitted through lice attaching their eggs to the base of the hair shaft ...